It's My Choice
by Magz2015
Summary: In trying to work out a way to finally deal with Cao Cao and Wei all together, Liu Bei strikes up an alliance with him to take out Wu. But when he insists on a marriage with his daughter to seal it, to help, Ma Dai steps up to the plate. But as time goes, will it really be something that they can do? Or are the forces of Cao Cao and Ma Chao going to be enough to stop it?
1. Chapter 1

"You want to do what!?" Gasping as his eyes went wide, Liu Bei didn't know what to think about what Cao Cao just said to him! He knew that Cao Cao had more than a few sons, but he has never heard anything about him having a daughter. And then to come off with it in such a way and demand that she marry his son to seal this alliance. It was shocking to say the least, and he couldn't even think of anything to say.

Crossing his arms as he sighed, Cao Cao gave a nod. If they took this bate, then he would be able to hopefully make them feel safe enough from him that he would not attack with his daughter there. "That is correct Liu Bei. I want to arrange a wedding as soon as possible between my youngest child and only daughter, with your son Liu Shan. It is no different than when you and his mother wed."

Sitting at her husband's side, Sun Shang Xiang looked at Cao Cao as she gave him a half-smile and took a deep nervous breath. "It is different too. I was offered to Liu Bei as a way of reaching peace between Shu and Wu. Not to seal an alliance."

Standing himself, Cao Cao glared down at Liu Bei and his wife. "If you do not wish to do this then tell me now so I can get my daughter and be on my way home."

Quickly standing now, Liu Bei needed this alliance to work. It was the only way to fix things with Wu and Shu to appease his wife and make everyone happy all the way around. And hopefully in the end, take Cao Cao out with Wu's help. "It isn't that we are saying no because we do not want the alliance Coa Cao. It is just that my son married three months ago."

Not expecting anyone to truly fall in love with the weak willed son of Liu Bei, Cao Cao sighed as he glanced around the room before turning back to Liu Bei as he sighed. "Then how about one of your men? Or a son of one of your sworn brother's? Perhaps they will be willing to help their Lord with this."

Looking around as no one seemed to jump out at them, Guo Jia sighed as he smiled when he turned to his Lord to bow. He knew that for him, seeing a beautiful woman would make him act to do just about anything. Perhaps that would also work on this lot of idiots. "My Lord. How about we bring Lady Cao Xue in so that everyone can see her first hand. It just might help one of them to step up and help their Lord with this alliance."

Nodding Cao Cao closed his eyes. "That is a good idea. Go and have Cao Pi bring her in."

Looking up at the door as it opened, everyone gasped to see the stunning woman that walked in next to Cao Pi and Cao Ang. But Ma Dai watched with more curious eyes as to her body language verses beauty or not. He got a quick glance at her face as they walked in, and she did resemble Cao Pi some, proof that Cao Cao really as her father. A but other than that, she didn't look anything like them, so she had to look more like her mother. But she was tense. She was nervous. And that once glance, he saw pure terror in her eyes just before Cao Pi glared at her and made her turn her eyes back to the floor as she flinched. 'She is absolutely terrified. But now the question is of who? Is it us or her father?'

Taking a deep breath as he watched all of his men looking at her. Cao Cao was determined that this be part of their alliance and Liu Bei didn't know what to do about it right now. He needed this so he could fix things with Wu for his wife. And in return, it would also deal a lethal blow to Cao Cao and take wei down all together. But to force his daughter who was terrified to do something like this? He actually felt sorry for her. Feeling a soft hand on his arm he looked down into the pleading eyes of his wife. Even she could see that the poor thing was horrified.

Seeing no one else moving, and knowing how badly they needed this alliance, Ma Dai sighed. He would do this. They even sent Ma Chao away for a while so that he wouldn't stop it with his mouth. Stepping out of line he sighed. "Lord Liu Bei."

Looking upa she blinked to see that it was Ma Dai walking toward him with a smile he gasped. There was no way that he would actually suggest that he do it knowing Ma Chao's intense hate for the entire Cao family. That would surely filter down to his daughter. "Ma Dai are you sure…."

Stopping next to Cao Cao, Ma Dai smiled as he gave his Lord a nod. He knew they needed this at just about any cost. Looking over at her and how she held her hands in a praying pose now and her eyes shut tightly, he let out a sigh. He was certain. She was not the devoted daughter that would offer herself to a total stranger in all ways out of loyalty for her father. She, he was sure, saw this as a way to get away from him.

Turning back to Liu Bei he sighed. "My Lord, to aid you in this alliance I will marry her." Laughing at the chorus of shocked gasps he smiled as he rubbed the back of his neck and made eye contact with Liu Bei. "My parents were married in an arranged marriage as well and were happy. They met the first time on their wedding day. I see no reason why I cannot make it work and the two of us be happy in this one as well."

Already seeing the rage that Ma Chao was going to have when he learned about this in a few days, Jiang Wei pulled eyes to him as he stepped out so he could see Ma Dai. "But what about Ma…."

Turning to him with a laugh, Ma Dai winked at him. "Don't worry about the Young Master Jiang Wei. I can handle him. Right now, we need this alliance and this is the only way. I have been thinking about settling down anyway, so it all works out in the end."

"Right now then?" When all eyes jerked to him, even Ma Dai's, Cao Cao sighed as he crossed his arms. His eyes settling on Liu Bei. "After all. You would not wish to have Wu growing suspicious with us making multiple trips to Shu now do you Liu Bei?"

"I agree with that but…" Liu Bei's eyes went to the shaking girl, and then to Ma Dai as he smiled. "Ma Dai…."

"I am fine with it My Lord. Whenever you are ready." Ma Dai then moved and traded Cao Cao places as he stepped up next to the woman who would be his wife in a moment.

"Alright then." Liu Bei sighed as he took a deep breath. "Short and to the point. Ma Dai will you be loyal to Cao Xue as her husband?"

Nodding, Ma Dai smiled. "I will."

Turning to the girl, Liu Bei sighed. "Cao Xue will you be loyal to Ma Dai as his wife?"

Having kept her eyes down as the conversation swirled around her, Cao Xue tensed when her father moved and the one they called Ma Dai stepped up next to her. He as going to be her husband momentarily and she wasn't sure if that terrified her, or excited her. The only thing she wanted was to not have to go back to her cell, nor have the other fate her father promised on her if they refused. Right now she was just hoping that she wasn't going from the frying pan into the fire.

Hearing her name come from Liu Bei, she flinched as she nodded. "I will."

Watching as the girl kept her head down and shook, Liu Bei welcomed his concerned wife at his side as he put an arm around her waist. "I now declare you husband and wife. Kiss your bride."

Reaching out with a gentle hand, Ma Dai turned to her and pulled her eyes to look up at him. Leaning in he gave her a quick kiss to seal the marriage. But the way she gasped and how red her face turned he felt horrible now. That was her first kiss. With a smile as he watched her drop her head back down, ma Dai sighed. "Well then I guess we are married now."

Giving him a nod, Cao Xue was still red as she kept her eyes on the floor. "My Lord."

"Cao Xue."

Flinching at the sound of her father's voice saying her name, Cao Xue tensed as she turned so that she was facing where he was. "Father."

Forcing a lingering look of a concerned father, Cao Cao sighed. "They will be good to you here and you will be fine. Once Wu is dealt with, then I will come back to check on you here and see how you are settling in." Another lingering look, then he turned and lead the way out with his men, without another word, or touch for his daughter. Now that she was there, once Wu was gone, she would give him the reason to declare war on Shu and kill them all. His useless daughter as well.

Keeping his eyes on his new wife and how she started to shake again, Mai Dai just stood there as he waited for the door to shut. Once it was, he turned to Liu Bei with a small bow. "My Lord, I think that with everything that just happened and how fast, a quiet place to rest right now would be best for her. If you wouldn't mind that is?"

Nodding, Liu Bei sighed. She was standing in the middle of most of the officers of Shu at the moment. "Indeed. I can imagine the stress that she has on her at the moment. However you do know that Ma Chao will…"

Reaching out and taking his new wife by the hand, Ma Dai sighed as she shook more, but gave Liu Bei a half-smile. "I know he is going to be upset with me. But I just have a feeling that everything is going to all work out in the end for the best all the way around. Now, if you would excuse me My Lord. My Lady." He then turned and lead his wife out through a different door and toward the room that they would share.

Hugging her husband's arm, Sun Shang Xiang sighed as she looked down. "That poor girl she looked so scared. I wonder if it is the lies that Cao Cao would have fed her about us. Or if it was her father. I am so glad that when we married, I had already fallen in love with you by that point."

With a smile, Liu Bei reached down and rested his hand on hers as he sighed. "Indeed. However with her my dear, I would say that it was her father. When Ma Dai stepped up and said that he would marry her for the alliance, she titled her head up some and I saw the fear in her eyes replaced with hope." Giving a nod to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei as he turned and lead his own wife from the room he sighed. "I do wish that I had known that something like this was going to happen today. We could have all been ready for it and talked about who was going to do it in advance."

Nodding as they walked through the now quiet halls, Sun Shang Xiang leaned her head over on his shoulder as she sighed. "I know that would have been nice to know. But this is Cao Cao here. I really have to wonder what is going on. I don't see him offering up his only daughter just to prove he is willing to help us."

"I have to agree with you on that one. Time will tell. Time will tell." Liu Bei then sighed as he walked on toward their room. He did hope that it was just like Cao Cao said it was. But he had the same feeling his wife did about the situation. Just what was his ultimate plan for doing it?


	2. Chapter 2

As he walked her into the room that was now their room, Ma Dai sighed as his eyes half closed to see the way she glanced up long enough to see the bed and then flinched. Her shaking had gotten even worse, if that were possible. As he lead her toward the bed, he smiled. "Don't worry about that. That isn't going to happen tonight. I can't even think about doing that with someone whom I haven't heard say anything other than 'I will', 'My Lord' and 'Father'. Just sit down and relax, you are fine."

When he let go of her hand, Cao Xue gave a small nod as she slowly and stiffly sat on the very edge of the bed. She couldn't even look up at him right now. "Yes My Lord."

With a sigh and a stern look on his face, Ma Dai reached out and gently took her chin in his hand and pulled her now startled blue eyes up to look at his as he shook his head. "Don't call me that. Ever. I am your husband, not your tyrannical lord that demands proper titles. All I ever want you to do call me is Ma Dai. And I do want you to look at me when you talk to me, not the floor."

Her face red again, this was the first good look that she has gotten of her husband. Even when he kissed her she didn't get a good look at his face. Seeing just how handsome he really was made her even more nervous about the situation now. "Alright. Ma Dai."

Pulling his hand back from her face, Mai Dai sat down with one leg on the bed and put one hand on each knee as he gave a nod and a smile. "See. Now that is much better isn't it?" But he lost his smile when she only nodded and dropped her eyes to the floor again. Taking a deep breath as he crossed his arms, Ma Dai wanted to try to make her feel more at ease by bringing her here to talk to her. But who knows what happened thanks to her father.

Turning so that he sat the same way that she did, Ma Dai leaned his elbows down on his knees. "Alright. I guess straight to the point then. I want to know what is with the terrified look in your eyes? Is it because you don't know me or anyone else in Shu?" Watching her carefully as she didn't move, he blinked. "Or was it your father?" Her reaction telling him that he was right about her.

Gasping as she flinched and tensed, Cao Xue instantly hugged herself and then closed her eyes tightly. But the tears that fell betrayed her. She had hoped that no one would have guessed that it was her father that she was scared of, but the situation. But the threat that he drilled into her head from the day he took her out of the cell two weeks ago. Knowing what he did to her mother. What he has done to her growing up. She just knew that he would make good on it if she didn't keep her mouth shut. "I…I…..I can't…"

With a sigh as his eyes took on a sympathetic look, Ma Dai moved before she could do anything and was sitting right behind her with his legs on either side of her. Reaching out he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her against him as he let out a long sigh. "I thought it was your father the way you acted when you came in. What is it? What did he do?"

Shaking her head, Cao Xue stayed stiff and rigid. She couldn't tell him! If her father were to find out, and she had no doubt that he would then her fate would be worse than death. "I can't. He will….I just can't I am sorry."

Moving again, but moving her with him, Ma Dai had her looking straight at him as he held a shaky hand, and made her look up at him. "Right now is the safest time to tell someone what your father did to you. Not a single person here in Shu would tell him anything. And, I will make you a deal. You tell me what happened, and we treat this like we normally would. Though we are married, we take our time and get to know each other. If when the reason for the alliance is done and you don't love me, you leave as pure as when you got here. To be set free to find love on your own. I wouldn't be able to send you back to him. Even if you don't tell me seeing how terrified you are right now just trying to talk about it."

Her eyes going wide as she flinched, Cao Xue looked into his soft brown eyes with pure shock on her face. She didn't expect to hear that! But she could see it in his eyes. Whenever her father or brother would say anything to her, it was always a lie or cruel, and they had a cold hatred in their eyes. His was soff and worm. He meant what he said. "Do…do you mean it? Really? No matter what happened with us you won't make me go back to Wei and him?"

Moving his hand from her chin to cup the side of her face, Ma Dai smiled as he sighed. "Of course not. We give it a real try between us and see how things go. No sex until we are both sure how we feel, or the reason for the alliance is done. Then either we work on a family, or you are set free, right here in Shu. If you don't want to go back to him, then you won't it is simple as that."

Taking a few deep breaths as her eyes stayed locked with his, Cao Xue didn't know what to do right now. There was no lie in his eyes. He meant it. He really did! The feeling of finally being free from her tyrannical so called father washed over her as tears filled her eyes. She then pulled a gasp from him as she fell into his chest as she clung to him and sobbed harder than she ha long time. It was like a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders and set her free.

With one arm around her waist, Ma Dai used the other to rub her back as he smiled watching her cry. He saw the shock in her eyes when he said he wouldn't send her back if it didn't work out with him. He saw that look of being freed from something. Whatever it was that her father put her through must have been horrible. 'I knew that Cao Cao was an evil tyrant. But to have instilled this much fear in his own daughter. It shows he has no limit to how cruel he really is.'

X

Sitting in his study now with his wife, Liu Bei was on his feet along with Shang Xiang when Ma Dai walked in carrying his sobbing bride. "Ma Dai what in the world….."

Shaking his head, Ma Dai smiled. "In a moment My Lord." Sitting Cao Xue on a futon, Ma Dai gave her a nod as she reluctantly let go of his clothes as she dropped her head. Turning to Sun Shang Xiang he smiled. "My Lady if you wouldn't mind sitting with her for a moment?"

Shaking her head, Shang Xiang moved and sat next to her as she reached out and took her hand. "Not at all."

Liu Bei looked up to see Ma Dai just turn and walk out in the hall with an angry look on his face. Following him out, Liu Bei glared. "What happened Ma Dai?"

Stopping a short way down the hall, Ma Dai turned a serious look to his Lord as he crossed his arms. "I don't know anything specific. But it is a good thing that no one in Shu or Wu trusts Cao Cao or really going to rely on him for anything. His tyrannical acts go deeper than we thought, and I have a good idea why he married her off to seal our alliance with him." When Liu Bei gave him a hard as serious look, he took a deep breath as he closed his arms. "Once I was able to calm her down and convince her that she was safe here, she told me what I gather is only some of what happened to her at the hands of her father. Her mother was taken by force from a Wei village and raped until she became pregnant. When she was born a girl, not a boy, she and her mother were kept in a dungeon cell for five years together. He then killed her mother and watched as she died with her head in her daughter's lap. That was when her beatings started. Days without food. A constant threat of rape if she tried to fight back or ask for food. I am sorry My Lord, but with all of that, she isn't the kind of woman that is so loyal and devoted to her father that she would offer herself to a stranger just to help him seal an alliance. But rather a woman who was…..

His eyes wide now as he looked back at the closed door. "Who was offered by her father to seal an alliance with alternate intentions. He is going to plan to start a war with us and use her as a reason for doing it. That damn snake. I swear if it were not for Shang Xiang I would just write Wu off and defeat them for good. But he is her brother and I can't see her cry. I just wish that Sun Quan didn't have his head in the sand compared to his father and brother."

"Indeed that would make things easier." Ma Dai then rubbed the back of his neck as he sighed. "My Lord I got her to tell me that much, because of a promise I made her. We are going to actually take our time getting to know each other. Nothing physical until we both know how we feel about each other and want that. If she isn't happy once Cao Cao is gone, then I am going to set her free and she can stay right here. She was horrified that at some point, we would send her back to her father."

"Never." He then sighed as he turned to go back to his study. "Well Ma Dai if nothing else, at least we helped someone who needed it to escape from him."

"Indeed. I am going to take her back to our room now and let her get some sleep. I just wanted to make sure that I told you what she told me so that you could talk to Zhuge Liang about it."

"Thank you." Once in the room, Liu Bei smiled as he went to the girl and gently touched under her chin and pulled her still crying blue eyes up to look into his own brown eyes. "My dear, as Ma Dai has told you. You are safe here, and with him or not. Your new home will always be Shu. And Cao Cao will never get close enough to hurt you again. I promise."

Nodding, Cao Xue smiled as she dropped her head. "Thank you My Lord." But then threw her arms around Ma Dai as he gently lifted her and sobbed into his neck again. She was never going to have to see him again! For that alone, she would stay with Ma Dai forever if that is what he wished.

Watching as Ma Dai turned to leave, Liu Bei welcomed his wife in his arms as he sighed. "Ma Dai. I will have Jiang Wei and Zhao Yun take up you rounds for the next week. Take your time and get her settled in and show her around."

Nodding as he left, Ma Dai headed back toward his room with his wife in his arms. He knew that it would be easy for him to love her. Not just because of her past, but he could see it. Once she got over her father and the fear, her true personality was pure and good. But he needed to see how her heart would sway in the days and weeks to come before he let his go. That way, it wouldn't hurt as bad if she wanted to be let go.

X

Now that Zhuge Liang was there with him and his wife, Liu Bei crossed his arms as he met his gaze with his own serious one. "Ma Dai came in here with Cao Xue not long ago. She was a sobbing mess. I have no reason to not rust his judge in character. He told me some of what she went through at the hands of her father. Not the typical father daughter relationship that you would expect. In fact he tortured her for most of her life."

"I see. I suspected that this was a ply from Cao Cao. However I did not expect this. I expected with the instant that she marry Lord Liu Shan that he wanted her to learn our secrets." Crossing his arms, Zhuge Liang thought for a moment. He could use this, and Zhou Yu would as well. Since it would seem that there were only three in Wu that seemed to want to end Shu. Sun Quan, Lu Meng and Lu Xun. "I can use this to our advantage. I will inform Zhou Yu about what is going on. Those in Wu would be willing to help I am sure save three. I trust Ma Dai and his judge of character. He would not just willingly trust someone who he knows is a child of Cao Cao and do this, knowing Ma Chao the way he does if he were not serious about it."

"Ma Dai said that he thinks the offer to seal the alliance with her, is laying the plans to turn around and wage war on us, using his 'daughter' as the reason for it. With that being said, I think that Ma Dai was actually the best choice." Crossing his arms, Liu Bei sighed. "Though I hate to see what Ma Chao's reaction is going to be in a few days when he gets back."

With a glare for the ground, Zhuge Liang sighed. Ma Dai was probably right about that one. "I do believe when you put everything together that Master Ma Dai is right. I will formulate a plan when I meet with Zhou Yu in a couple of days to make sure that everything is a success. Making Sun Quan see reason, and defeating Cao Cao. While make sure that Cao Xue stays hidden and safe from her father."

Nodding Liu Bei smiled. "That sounds perfect." Walking him to the door, Liu Bei turned around to find his wife starring out the window with half closed eyes. Going to her he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and smiled as she sighed and melted into his arms. "What is it?"

"Just thinking about what that poor girl must have gone through that she didn't tell him. It really makes me sad when I remember how perfect my relationship with my father is. And how stubborn and stupid my brother is being right now. I still say it is Lu Meng that is feeding him lines." She then took a deep breath as she sighed and laid her head back on her husband's shoulder. "But I guess some good is going to come out of it. Quan is going to learn the hard way like he had to do when we were kids. And I think Ma Dai and Cao Xue will have a happy ending. I saw the look for her when he picked her up. But even if I am wrong, least she is away from her father."

Turning his wife in his arms, Liu Bei smiled down into her beautiful eyes as he pulled her flush against him from her waist. "Indeed my love." He then dropped his head and seared her mouth with his as he cupped her cheek. Letting out a soft sigh as she let out a small moan and clung to his clothes as she leaned into his kiss. They have been married for many years now, and have a grown son together who has a wife of his own. But each and every time he kissed her, the feeling was still like that of their very first kiss on the day they were married.


	3. Chapter 3

As the sun armed her face, Cao Xue smiled as her eyes started to flutter open. She only recently started to feel the sun when her father pulled her from her cell. But that was when she gasped and jerked up in the bed. Her body tensed as her eyes darted around the room when she remembered what happened, but Ma Dai wasn't there!

"It's alright settle down."

Turning her eyes to the door, Cao Xue sighed to find that Ma Dai was walking toward her with a tray of food. With small smile, she nodded. "Thank you."

Sitting the food down next to her, Ma Dai laughed as he winked at her. "No problem. I was up early so I figured I would get you food and bring it here. Once you learn where the kitchen is, whenever you are hungry you can go whenever you wish." Stepping back he put his hands on his hips as he smiled down at her. "Also, Lady Shang Xiang stopped by here not long after you fell asleep last night. She had a chest with her. She went to all the girls and got a spare outfit for you."

Blinking as she swallowed a bite of food, Cao Xue looked at him odd then down to her kimono. "I have never worn anything but this. Is that not allowed here then?"

With a laugh as he pulled the trunk over to where she was at on the bed, Ma Dai shook his head. "No it isn't that." Standing up he smiled down at her as he crossed his arms. "It is just that unless it is a special occasion, we don't dress formally here. We dress for comfort, ease of battle. Some of us like Xing Cai dress for both. You can wear the kimonos if you wish and that is what makes you comfortable. Or you can mix and match any outfit in here." Turning to leave he sighed. "Whatever your choice, I will be just outside the door waiting for you."

Reaching out and grabbing his clothes stopping him as she stood, Cao Xue gave him an odd look. "Outside?"

Smiling into her dazzling blue eyes, Ma Dai nodded as he sighed. "I told you yesterday Xue. You won't ever have to worry about anything physical if you don't want it. But if we aren't doing anything like that, I won't be in the room with you while you change making it more uncomfortable. Don't worry about it. Once you are done picking out what you want to wear, just come outside the door and I will be right there waiting."

Her eyes going wide when she heard what he called her, Cao Xue still held onto him as she started to shake. "But why did you just call me Xue?"

Giving her an odd look, Ma Dai blinked. "Do you prefer Cao Xue then? I didn't mean too….."

Shaking her head as she dropped her eyes to the floor, flashes of her sweet, smiling mother flew through her eyes. "It isn't that. I prefer that actually I just didn't expect to hear it again after so long. Mama used to call me that all the time. No matter what my father put her through, even the day she died with her head in my lap she smiled. She said that I was the reason for it. She refused to call me Cao Xue because of who my father was. She named me Xue, and only called me that. She told me one time that it didn't matter who my father was, she named me Xue and I was her daughter and that is all that mattered to her."

Smiling, Ma Dai reached out with his other hand and pulled her eyes to look at him as he used a thumb to wipe away her tears. "I am glad you are talking more today. You just said more to me at one time then you did all day yesterday and all night last night combined. And that settles it. You are Xue to me, and everyone else. Once told, no one will call you anything but."

With a smile, Cao Xue finally let go of his arm and nodded. "Thank you." Watching with a pounding heart as he left the room, Cao Xue was breat hing hard. He was handsome, kind, sweet, honorable. The total opposite of all the men she ever laid eyes on in Wei. Especially different from her father. With a smile as her heart fluttered she hugged herself. 'Could that be what is going on with me and him Mama?'

She then turned and opened the trunk and gasped to see all the different kinds of clothes that were in there. "There are so many." She started to go through them as she ate the food that was there for her as well. Finally she picked one outfit that she really liked that was pants, boots, a sheer undershirt, and a short sleeved over shirt.

It was white and green in color with gold accents. 'This is perfect.'

X

Standing in the all right next to his door, Ma Dai smiled when he finally heard her moving around in the room. Letting his head fall backward to the wall he sighed with crossed arms. She was absolutely stunning with all the layers of the kimono that she wore. He hoped that she would decide to wear an outfit that Shang Xiang had gotten for her.

To him that would be a way of undoing the damage that was done to her by her father. Though with the mention of him, the fear that always leapt into her eyes actually hurt him. She had so much damage done to her by the cruel hands of her father, he had to wonder if he was going to get her over that so she could truly be free from him or not.

"Master Ma Dai?"

Looking up to see Jiang Wei walking toward him with an odd look, Ma Dai smiled as he sighed. "What is it Jiang Wei?"

Stopping next to him, Jiang Wei blinked as he looked at Ma Dai and then to the closed door, then back to him. He could hear the woman moving around in the room, yet Ma Dai was outside. "Why are you out here and not in….."

With a laugh, Ma Dai sighed as he looked at the odd look on his face. "Yesterday, after that rushed wedding, I was right. She was terrified of her father. I promised her that we would take it slow, and unless we both loved each other and wanted too, nothing physical. That includes not being in there as she changes."

"I see. That is a good thing." Jiang Wei then gave him a hard look. "So the shaking was because of her father?"

Nodding as he glared into Jiang Wei's face, Ma Dai nodded. "She is far from the loyal and devoted daughter that is willing to give herself to a man to help him further his goals. To her, she was hopeful that either Liu Shan, or on the spot one of us would step up and marry her. Not to help him, but to get the hell away from him after torture her entire life from him and her brothers. When she told me what was going on, I went straight to Lord Liu Bei and he I am sure told Zhuge Liang last night."

A look of sadness sweeping over his face, Jiang Wei sighed as he looked at the door. "I can understand her wanting out. Sounds like she had it worse than I did, and yet, even I was turned on and against by Wei, which is why I am here in the first place."

"You were meant to be here from the start." Smiling Ma Dai then snapped his fingers. "By the way, she just told me that basically to defy Cao Cao I think, her mother never used her full name. She always just called her Xue, and I did that a few moments ago. She prefers to be called that by the way."

"I can do that. But that does also explain why the Chancellor was in such a hurry to get to his meeting in Wu with Zhou Yu this morning. To let him know what was going on." Jiang Wei then gave him a nervous look as he took a deep breath. "I am here also because I was asked to come and get you for Lord Liu Bei. Master Ma Chao saw Cao Cao leaving Shu yesterday and headed home. He is with Liu Bei in his study right now. They are waiting for you."

With a groan as he rubbed the back of his neck, Ma Dai closed his eyes as he looked up at the ceiling. "Well that complicates things. With all she went through, a loud noise is enough to terrify her right now. I had hoped that I could make her feel safer and more confident here before he got back. I guess that can't happen now. I just hope he avoids her like he would if it were anyone else she married."

Giving him an odd look, Jiang Wei blinked. "But what are you going to do about it?"

However before either could say or do anything else, they heard the door open and looked up to see Cao Xue walking out. Both going wide eyed to see her in the outfit she was in. Her hair was still long and flowing down to her knees. But she chose the outfit that Yue Ying would have given her, but had less sheer fabric on it and was more covered.

Shaking his head, Ma Dai smiled as he took a deep breath. She was a vision in the kimono. Dressed like this, she was even more so. The way that the clothes really accented her figure that you couldn't see under the think kimono, he knew now that he was going to have to fight for her heart if he really wanted it. "You are stunning."

Blushing with a smile, Cao Xue stopped and dropped her head as she folded her hands before her. "Thank you. I do feel a bit odd though. This is the first time I have ever been allowed to wear such things like this."

Smiling as he put his arm around her waist, Ma Dai laughed and lead her down the hall toward where Shang Xiang would be. "Don't worry about that. Here you can have the freedom to wear anything that you want too. I will be back, but right now I need you to go and see Lady Shang Xiang for a while, so I can go and talk to Lord Liu Bei."

"Master Ma Dai are you sure…."

With a wink over his shoulder as they started to turn a corner, Ma Dai laughed. "I can handle it. Don't worry."

Once around the corner, Cao Xue looked up at him with an odd look. "Ma Dai what is going on?"

Laughing as he lead her on toward where Shang Xiang was, Ma Dai sighed. "The Young Master has returned early and I need to go and talk to him. He can be a bit overwhelming at times, and I don't want him to scare you because of it is all."


	4. Chapter 4

Hearing a knock on the door of her private study, Sun Shang Xiang let her head fall to the side and blinked. "Yes?" Her eyes going wide as she jumped to her feet when Ma Dai walked in with Cao Xue. She had chosen the outfit that Yue Ying had given her and it suited her perfectly. White, green and gold accents. Not a single shade of blue anywhere, and she knew why. "You look absolutely beautiful in that."

Stopping a few feet in with Ma Dai, Cao Xue gave her a small bow as she smiled shyly. "Thank you very much."

Smiling as he turned back to Sun Shang Xiang, Ma Dai rubbed the back of his neck as he laughed. "My Lady, I need to go and see Lord Liu Bei and the Young Master in his study. Could she stay here with you for a while so that I can do that?"

Knowing what that was going to be like the second he walked in, Sun Shang Xiang nodded as she took Cao Xue by her hand and pulled her on in the room. "Of course she can stay in here while you go and talk to them. That isn't a problem."

Giving her a gracious bow, Ma Dai sighed as he smiled. "Thank you My Lady." He then turned to Cao Xue and winked. "I will be back soon as I can Xue. It will be fine." He then turned and left the room.

Blinking, Sun Shang Xiang gave the girl an odd look as they sat down on the futon. "Just Xue?"

With a nod and her own smile, Cao Xue sighed. "Yes. He startled me when he called me that this morning. Only my mother called Xue. She did it because that was the part of my name that she gave me. I think now it was a way of refusing to acknowledge that Cao Cao is my father. It was nice to hear it again."

Laughing as she held her hand still, Sun Shang Xiang smiled. "Well you can get used to it again. Once everyone is told, they will all call you that. Well almost everyone. We are not exactly sure how Ma Chao is going to react to you, especially because of who married you."

Giving her an odd look, Cao Xue blinked. "I don't understand that. I tried to ask Ma Dai about it, and who he was talking about. But he just told me that he could handle it and that everything was alright. Who is Ma Chao and why would he react poorly to who I am and who I am married too?" Closing her eyes some as she looked down, Cao Xue couldn't hide her blush or her smile. "He seems to be a very find man it seems and has been nothing short of honorable with me. But it isn't like we planned to do this to hurt anyone."

"We all know that Xue. And you are right about Ma Dai. He is a fine man, and the way he looks at you. I see you two working out perfectly." But then she reached out with a sad face as she pulled her eyes up. "Many years ago, when Ma Chao and Ma Dai would have been little, Cao Cao ran a raid near where they lived. It cost the lives of many of the Ma Family. Including Ma Chao's very own parents. He has sworn revenge on him for it, rightfully so of course. He also detests anyone who is related to Cao Cao, or swears loyalty to him."

Seeing the worry that leapt in her eyes, Sun Shang Xiang laughed as she shook her head. "Don't worry. Ma Chao isn't stupid either. It will take just one thing to make him question what he thinks is true, and then it falls into place. Once that happens, he will not only accept you for who you are and his cousin's wife, but will put his life on the line to protect you just as much as Ma Dai will."

"I do hope so. I do not want to be the cause of trouble." But she couldn't stop the fear and worry that swam through her right now. Everything the last two weeks happened so fast. Pulled from her cell, told what to do, how to act, what to say. Thrust into a marriage with a total stranger that she knew nothing about, in a place she didn't know anything about. She only really knew two names. Ma Dai and Sun Shang Xiang. She was starting to realize that her only hope right now was that Ma Chao would see reason. Then things could actually start looking up for her.

X

Turning as the door opened, Ma Chao's glare was full of rage and disappointment. "How could you do such a thing Ma Dai!?"

Closing his eyes at the sudden scream, Ma Dai sighed as he stuck a finger in his ear. "It wasn't like anyone planned it Young Master. We needed this alliance to do what Lord Liu Bei wanted. Cao Cao refused to go along with it unless someone married her. No one else stepped up so….."

"You know what her father did to our family in Liang Ma Dai!" Narrowing his eyes at him, Ma Chao didn't hide the rage in his glare. "How could you marry and then bed the daughter of our family's enemy!? She is of his blood and….."

Crossing his arms as he sighed, Ma Dai didn't even move at first. "She is nothing like him or her brothers. She is terrified of him and what he may or may not do to her at any point. If you would take the time to listen to her as she tells you what he did to her, and see the look in her eyes. You wouldn't be able to question it."

"Lies!"

"No." Opening his eyes to glare up at him, Ma Dai sighed. "She can't hide the lie in her eyes and there is none. Locked away when she was born because she was born a girl. Watching her mother die with her head in her lap after Cao Cao killed her when she was five years old. You can see the torrent of emotions in her eyes, mostly fear whenever someone mentions his name. She is not what you think she is Young Master."

"I am telling you that it is all a lie! There is no way that someone born from him could be anything less than a snake like he is!" Ma Chao then turned that same hard glare for Liu Bei. He knew how he felt about Cao Cao. That was part of the reason why Ma Chao wasn't there when he came to talk about the alliance. "My Lord I cannot believe that you let him do this as well. Everyone knows how I feel about Cao Cao and all his children. Yet no one stops my own cousin from doing something like this? I don't understand why…."

Having finally had enough, Liu Bei held his hand up as he sighed. Ma Chao was going on about a girl he has yet to meet like he knew her and hated her. Much unlike the Ma Chao that he knew. "Enough Ma Chao. If you would remember right, before you and Ma Dai came to Shu, you were our enemy at one point. You knew nothing about us other than our army fought against your army at the time. You know nothing about this girl or what she has or hasn't gone through at whose hands. Enough. Zhuge Liang believes what she says even."

Taking a deep breath, Ma Chao crossed his arms. He did not like this at all, but it was clear that for the time being it seemed, a member of the Ma Family and a member of the Cao family were going to have to be married. But he would not hold back that he isn't happy about this in the least at all. "I am not, nor will I ever be happy about or accept this marriage." He then turned hard eyes to Ma Dai as he took a deep breath. "Once the reason for this alliance is done, she is being sent away. I don't care where, to who or anything else. This marriage will be ended and she will be gone. Just try not to get her pregnant in the mean time."

With a glare in his own eyes, Ma Dai sighed. He loved his cousin, and up to this point had followed him without question for the biggest part of his life. But there was no getting through to him where Cao Xue was concerned and he knew it. 'I hope that you have better luck at some point getting through that tough hide Xue than I am right now.' Turning and headed for the door, he waved a hand in the air. "If she wishes to stay with me Young Master when this is done, I will not turn her out and force her away from me. She is not like Cao Cao or his other children. But that I guess you will just have to wait and see then I guess." Then he was gone.

Once he was gone, Ma Chao glared at the door for a moment. He couldn't believe what he just heard! This woman already had his mind warped! Turning that same glare on Liu Bei he crossed his arms. "He will send her away or he will be disowned by the Ma Family. I will leave and he can stay. I will not have this."

Sitting down with a sigh, Liu Bei dropped his head into one of his hands. "If the time comes and you see it fit to do that Ma Chao no one will stop you. But before you do that, at least show the Ma Chao that we welcomed into Shu and take some time. Give her a true chance and talk to her. Her very presence is nothing like that of Cao Cao or his other children. You could at least show that much humility and before you do something so harsh."

"I refuse. I will have nothing to do with anyone that is born with Cao Cao's blood in their veins. I refuse." Ma Chao then t urned and stormed out of the room and headed for his own bedroom. He couldn't believe that his very own cousin stepped up to marry the daughter of Cao Cao. Knowing what that family has done to their own. Once there he began to pace around. He had to think of a way to prevent her from getting pregnant, and his cousin to see the light about her. There had to be away!

But hearing a loud gasp, and then Ma Dai laugh, he turned a glare as he went to the window. There standing bellow him was his cousin with the wench talking to Guan Ping and Xing Cai. The way that he had his arm around her and smiled. It made him sick. That act of shyness and how she was abused by him was nothing more.

Turning away from the window, Ma Chao glared as he began to pace again. "I know that she is not the woman that they think her to be. There is no way that a woman born from Cao Cao is any less a snake than he is. I need to do something that will prove it to everyone. And before she ends up pregnant. I cannot and will not allow someone from Cao Cao's family to give birth to the next generation of Ma Family. I will not allow it to happen!"


	5. Chapter 5

After a long day of meeting many people, Cao Xue found herself walking into her room she now she ared with her husband. But of all the new people she met today, Guan Yinping was the one she liked the most. Though everyone was super nice to her, and no one questioned that she only wanted them to call her Xue. Though, at one point, when talking to Guan Yinping, she pointed out Ma Chao, and the look in his eyes actually reminded her of her father when he would torment her for not being a boy.

"Xue?" Looking down at her as they reached the table in his room, Ma Dai reached out and looked down at her with a worried look as he made her look up at him. "You went from smiling to an instant fear and you started shaking. What is it?"

With a half-smile, Cao Xue wrung her hands together. "Just memories that won't go away." It wasn't a full truth, but it wasn't a lie either. She knew that she was the source of much tension between Ma Dai and Ma Chao. Not only the head of his family, but his cousin as well. She didn't want to add to that and tell him that he scared her just as bad as her father did.

Pulling a chair out for her, Ma Dai sighed as he smiled when she sat down. "I can understand that. It will take you some time to realize that no one here, not even the Young Master will hurt you like that. He is not fond of the idea of what is going on with us, but he wouldn't hurt you just to hurt you either."

"That's good to know." Smiling now, Cao Xue let her head fall to the side. "This is just all so new to me. Until now, the only men I had been around were my father and three bothers. Other than Mama, I had never seen another girl until Zhen Ji when I was told what was going on two weeks ago."

"I see. By the way Xue, I wanted to ask you something and that reminded me of it." Moving around, he pulled her chair out further and pulled her to her feet, smiling at her blush as he pulled her close to him from around her waist. "Yesterday it was done in haste for the most part. I thought before, but after what you just said, and what you told me last night I know that is your first kiss." When she gasped and dropped her head he used his other hand and pulled her eyes up to meet his. "It wasn't much of a kiss I know. Could I fix that for you right now?"

Her face blushing red, Cao Xue just looked at him like he had ten heads and horns with wide eyes. Yes that quick touch was her first kiss. But what did he mean by fix it? "What do you mean by you want to fix it now? How is that even possible?"

With a laugh as he cupped her face, Ma Dai smiled into her eyes. "By showing you now what a first kiss is supposed to feel like. So let me ask you again. May I kiss you?"

Dropping her head, Cao Xue started to shake as she let her eyes half close. She didn't know what to say to that one! She didn't even know why he was asking her in the first place. "But why are you asking me?"

Making her look up at him again, Ma Dai sighed as he rubbed his thumb on her cheek. "Because neither of us know where this is going to end in the long run. And I don't want to just do it and scare you at all. That's the last thing that I want. So I figured I would be respectful and ask you first. May I kiss you?"

Swallowing hard, Cao Xue let her eyes flutter down then she looked back up into his soft brown eyes as she gave a nod. "You may." But then she tensed as he slowly dropped his face toward hers. However the second that his lips pressed into hers, she gasped then melted into his arms. This was certainly a different kiss than he gave her yesterday to seal their marriage. He was firm and demanding, yet gentle and warm at the same time. So warm she couldn't have stopped herself from going limp if she tried.

Holding her tightly around her waist as he kept the kiss going for a moment longer, Ma Dai was fighting with himself not to deepen the kiss and go further than this. He felt like lightning bolts were shooting through his spine and his heart raced as he kissed her this time. Yesterday was nothing more than a quick peck to marry her and get her father out of Shu. But this time. The feelings that soared through him almost scared him. He didn't expect this at all.

Finally when he pulled his lips from hers and opened his eyes, he smiled to see the deep blush and the dazed look in her blue eyes as they fluttered open as well. His hand still on her face keeping her face up toward his, and holding her in place at her waist, he smiled as he laughed. "See. Now that is what a first kiss is supposed to be like. Did you enjoy it?"

With her face flushing an even deeper red, Cao Xue dropped her head as she gave a small nod and started to shake again. She didn't know what to say after that! Right now she feared that if she opened her mouth some strange sound would come out and not actual words. But then she flinched and dropped her head even more to hide her red face when there was a loud growl from her stomach. 'Oh man! Why now!?'

Laughing as he lead her to the bed and sat her down, Ma Dai kissed the side of her head as he shook his with a smile. "I will go and get you something to eat. I will be back soon."

Nodding as she watched him leave and the door close, Cao Xue then fell backwards on the bed. Her breathing was still heard. She felt like her heart was going to pound its way out of her chest. Opening her eyes as she smiled and a few silent tears fell from the corner of her eyes she let out a sigh. "Oh Mama. I wish you were here with me. I don't know what to do."

"I want to make one thing clear right now."

Jerking up as she sat there, Cao Xue went wide eyed as terror leapt into her eyes when she met the cold angery glare of Ma Chao standing there in the room. She figured at some point she would have to have an interaction with him, but she never thought that she would have to do it without Ma Dai! Breathing hard she just looked at him as she feared what was going to happen next. Ma Dai said that he wouldn't hurt her just to hurt her. But the look in her eyes was the look of her father. Cruel and cold. "Ma….Ma….Ma Chao….."

With his hands fisted at his side, Ma Chao did not hide the hate for her as he walked toward her. Just knowing that she was Cao Cao's daughter and married to his cousin made him want to strike her down on the spot. But she herself did nothing to warrant that other than marry Ma Dai, and that wasn't good enough. His sense of justice wouldn't allow him to go through with it. But that also didn't mean that he was going to fall for anything she said. "I hate you. I hate your family. Had I been here, Ma Dai would have never married you and it would have been someone else."

Stopping just about ten feet from her, Ma Chao never lost the rage that was in his eyes, but only let it grow. "Once the reason for the alliance is done, Ma Dai will be sending you away from him. I do not care where you go or what you do after that. But you will have nothing more to do with the Ma Family after that. And stop having sex with him. Or you will get him kicked out of the Ma Family if you were to get pregnant. I will not allow someone of Cao Cao's blood to give birth to the child of a Ma Family member. Do we understand each other woman?"

Shaking horribly, worse than ever before, Cao Xue couldn't do anything but look into his eyes. Cold, hate, and rage just like the way her father would look at her. His was for her being a girl. Ma Chao was because she was forced to marry his cousin. Unable to say anything, she only gave a nod. Tears gushing from her face as she watched him turn to walk away from her. 'What am I going to do now Mama?'

"What the hell did you just do Ma Chao?"

Hearing Ma Dai's voice, Cao Xue jerked her face to the side to see Ma Dai standing there with food as he glared at Ma Chao. 'This isn't good. It is all my fault that they are like this, and at least until whatever the alliance is for is done I can't do anything to try to help it. I really am useless!'

His eyes still just as cold, Ma Chao glared at Ma Dai for a moment then walked on past him and for the door. "I merely told her the truth is all. You will keep with your duties in the morning Ma Dai. Make sure she stays in this room so I don't need to see her."

Glaring after Ma Chao, Ma Dai didn't think that he would ever be this angry at him for anything. He was the head of the Ma Family. He was his cousin, but also for so long his closest and best friend all at the same time. But being like this was going too far. Turning back to Cao Xue, his heart sank to see her curled up on the bed crying in a ball as she shook. Going to the table and sitting the food down, he rushed over to the bed to her. "What did he say to you Xue?" But he flinched when he touched her arm and she tensed then pulled away from him. "Xue…"

When he tried to touch her again and she did the same thing, he sighed then turned a glare toward the door. Whatever Ma Chao said did this to her. He thought he was just stuck between a rock and a hard place with him. But this was too much even for him. Standing, Ma Dai stormed out of the room and down the hall a few rooms to Ma Chao's, slamming it open. "What the hell did you say to her Ma Chao!?"

Sitting at his table with tea, Ma Chao sighed as he closed his eyes. "Nothing but the truth. That I hate her. I hate her family. And whether she likes it or not she is being sent away when the time comes. And to stop having sex with you so she doesn't get pregnant or you…"

Moving and slamming his hands on the table, Ma Dai glared into Ma Chao's glaring eyes as he looked up at him. "You terrified her Ma Chao! That girl in there had to watch as Cao Cao killed her mother. Beaten, starved and who knows what else, I couldn't understand half of it she was crying so hard. She has had nothing but a life of torture at his hands and you go in there and do that without thought! I thought you had a stronger sense of justice than that Ma Chao? I never would have thought that you would willing scare a woman to death like you did her because she had no choice who her father is!"

Turning his head from Ma Dai as he sat his tea down, Ma Chao crossed his arms. "I did not touch her. I never got within ten feet of her. I merely stated fact that no one can change. Now go get some sleep. You start your rounds doubled tomorrow."

"Like hell I am!" Ma Dai then stormed out of the room and headed for Liu Bei's bedroom where he would be with Sun Shang Xiang. The day was tense at first, but she seemed like she had a great day. Then there was that kiss that he was sure left them both breathless. He was trying to build her confidence to show her how life could be for her. But for every laugh, every smile, every blush he got from her today, just a few moments with Ma Chao destroyed it! He knew what he needed to do, and hoped that Liu Bei would let him.

Reaching his room he gave a hard knock on the door. As Liu Bei opened the door with a curious look on his face, Ma Dai glared into his eyes. "My Lord, I need to talk to you about Ma Chao and Xue. It can't wait until morning."


	6. Chapter 6

Stepping to the side to let Ma Dai walk in the room, Liu Shan just blinked at him as he gave him an odd look. "Ma Dai what are you talking about? What happened to her?"

Turning when he reached the middle of the room, Ma Dai glared into his eyes. "Ma Chao happened to her. She had a good day today. I am going to treat this like she is my wife regardless. If in the end we feel the same about each other we stay married. But I can't make her see that she is alright, I can't really get to know her and let her get to know me if for every smile I get from her, Ma Chao shoots it down."

"What did he do?"

Turning to look at Sun Shang Xiang as she came to stand next to her husband, Ma Dai sighed. "I don't know exactly what he said to her, but basically that he hates her and that she and I could never work." Looking up as he took a deep breath, Ma Dai had to calm down. "She was hungry so I left her in our room and went to get her something to eat. When I got back, Ma Chao was in the middle of our room and she was a mess on the bed. Worse than when she broke and told me what her father did to her for so long. He absolutely terrified her."

"I see. Ma Chao is passionate about ending Cao Cao yes. But I never would have guessed, that his daughter or not he would terrorize a woman for any reason." Crossing his arms, Liu Bei sighed as he tried to think of something he could do to make sure that Ma Chao stayed away from her and out of the relationship that Ma Dai was trying to build with her. Even if he let her go and be free when it was said and done, she needed more confidence and needed to be able to trust. That wasn't going to happen with Ma Chao here clearly.

"I wanted to ask if I could take her somewhere else." Ma Dai had a serious look as Liu Bei looked back up at him. "I wanted to know if I could take her to the smaller castle that is near Nanzhong. It is well into Shu, and if anyone in Wu or Wei questioned it, it is just a newly married couple going somewhere to get to know each other better. Nothing more and nothing less."

Smiling as she nodded, Sun Shang Xiang looked up at her husband as she wrapped her arms around his arm. "We can do that. It will be a while at least before we can put the new plan into motion with Sun Quan. And we can see where they are at before the fight."

Nodding as he put his hand over her hands, Liu Bei smiled. "Indeed." Turning back to Ma Dai, he sighed. "Go and get her and some things and leave out the back. I will have Guan Yu and Zhang Fei go and keep Ma Chao busy in his room so he doesn't see you l eave or which way you go."

"Thank you My Lord." Ma Dai then gave a fast bow as he turned and went back through the halls to his room. Going in to find that she was sitting in the corner of the room hugging her knees, but still crying. A glare at the door, and Ma Dai fisted his hands. He couldn't believe that Ma Chao thought that he could do something like this to an innocent woman and he would just fall in line. 'I guess I should have stood up to him a few more times.'

Going around the room he quickly packed a few of the different outfits that the other women of Shu had given her, as well as a couple of the kimonos that she brought with her. Grabbed a few extra outfits of his, and his extra brush as well as a couple of swords and threw it all on the bed.

Hearing him moving around the room, Cao Xue finally looked up and saw him packing her clothes. Dropping her head again, she started to shake uncontrollable. It looked to her like Ma Chao was right. And that Ma Dai really wasn't going to give this a true try. But she couldn't either way that it went. She wasn't going to be the reason that cousins had a falling out and Ma Dai was kicked out of his family. She couldn't do that.

"Come on Xue."

Flinching as she looked up, Cao Xue saw three men leaving carrying two bags and some weapons. Turning her crying blue eyes back to Ma Dai, she blinked. "Where are we going My….." But seeing the way his eye brows creased she stopped. "Ma Dai?"

"Somewhere that you won't have to deal with Ma Chao and his mad ravings about something he has no control over. Our lives." Ma Dai then reached down and took her hand and pulled her to her feet, instantly lifting her into his arms and headed for the door as she put one shaky arm around his neck to hold on.

Walking the opposite way of Ma Chao's room, Ma Dai took a deep breath. Once they were almost to the back door he sighed. "We are going to a different castle for a little while. That way you won't have to worry about Ma Chao being stupid again."

Dropping her head even more, Cao Xue sighed. "But you don't need to leave your home for a different one just because of me. I would be fine in my own room and…"

"Don't give me that. Until he told you whatever it is he told you we agreed that we would really give this a try and try to get to know each other like we are working toward getting married." When she jerked startled eyes up to his, Ma Dai had soft, yet stern ones. "I for one do not intend to give up on that one because my cousin has a shallow mind and wants to dictate my life to me because I happen to do something he does not like. I love my cousin, but my life is my own and I make my own choices. Alright?"

Nodding as they walked on out the door, Cao Xue just dropped her head. Her face blushing when he put her on one of the three horses that were waiting on them and then swung up behind her, putting his arm around her waist. 'Now what am I going to do? Why does he have to be the way he is? It might be easier to not like him and not fall in love with him if he wasn't so sweet and protective of me.'

X

Watching from their window as the light from the torch that they used since it was dark out fled through the back woods until it was gone, Liu Bei and Sun Shang Xiang both sighed at the same time. Looking up at her husband as he stood behind her, Sun Shang Xiang smiled. "I bet that they work it out without Ma Chao there to stop it. I saw her several times today. She seemed happy walking hand in hand with him and meeting everyone."

"That would be good for the two of them I think. And time will be the only thing that will show Ma Chao that he is wrong about her. But it will happen in time." Turning his wife in his arms, Liu Bei sighed. "After all my dear. Weddings where the woman comes into Shu always start off rocky. After all, we had no sooner said our vows when Sun Quan's men were ready to take my head."

Laughing as she ran her hands up his chest and around behind his neck, Sun Shang Xiang smiled. "And look at just how long ago that was. Sun Ce and Father have come around and see the right thing to do. And before too much longer, Sun Quan will understand too. Or I will just beat it into him."

"Indeed." Liu Bei then dropped his head and kissed her as he held her flush against him. Each time he kissed her, it still felt like it did that first time they kissed when they were married. They were married under basically the same situation that Ma Dai and Cao Xue were married. He had no doubt that with nothing but support from those around him they would make it just as he and his wife had.


	7. Chapter 7

Stopping his horse, Ma Dai looked down at the now sleeping Cao Xue. Once she dosed off and relaxed while she was sleeping, she leaned on him and just passed out. He felt sorry for her even more now. A father like Cao Cao and a brother like Cao Pi and then she had to deal with a crazy Ma Chao without him there to speak up against him. "Xue. We are stopping for the night."

Blinking as she sat up, Cao Xue felt the cold night air when he got off the horse first before helping her down. Following him as he walked toward where the men had the fire at, she kept her head down. Sitting down next to him as he did and pulled her with him, she was tense and rigid again. She couldn't do it after all. How could she let herself fall in love with him, knowing that if she did he would be disowned and kicked out of his family? Other than her mother, her family has been nothing but cruel to her. She knew how precious it was to conserve what you could. Even if Ma Chao sounded like Cao Cao and wanted to dictate things, he did it because he cared not because he wanted to invoke fear.

"So are you going to tell me what he said to you exactly ever Xue?"

Flinching as she dropped her head even more and started to shake, she took a deep breath. "I am sorry Ma Dai but I can't do this. I can't see where everything goes with you. I just can't do it."

Pulling her back down next to him as she started to stand up, Ma Dai gave her an odd look. "What is it about what he said that brought this on? When I left that room you were smiling and radiant. I come back and he has a glare and you are a crying mess. I am not going to stop trying so you might as well….."

Dropping her head even more, Cao Xue closed her eyes as hard as she could. "But you have to! Please don't keep trying. If you don't then you will be ki…." But then she stopped as she covered her mouth with her free hand. She couldn't finish it. And she couldn't be the cause of it.

With a sigh as he looked into the fire, Ma Dai's brown eyes saw nothing but pure red. He had heard that before. Too many times to count. "Or I will be kicked out of the Ma family and disowned by Ma Chao right?" When she flinched and gasped, Ma Dai sighed as he leaned back against a tree, keeping his hand in hers as he took a deep breath. "Don't you think that I should have a choice in that matter?"

Looking over at her as she jerked shocked blue eyes to him, Ma Dai let out a sigh as he half smiled at her. "Ma Chao uses that to keep some of the ones who want to overthrow him in line. It is an empty threat." But when she turned to say something, he held his hand up as he smiled fully. "I don't give a damn what he says about what he is or is not going to do when it comes to me and what my choices are. I followed him up till now because what we wanted was the same basic thing as each other. But now, what I want to do is different, and I am doing it. He wants to kick me out of the Ma Family, let him. He will get over it and we will make up at some point."

Dropping her head as more tears flew into her eyes and flowed down her face, Cao Xue took a nervous breath. "But it would be because of me and who my father is that would drive the wedge between the two of you. I don't know if I could live with myself if that happened to you."

Reaching up and pulling her eyes up to his as he sat up, Ma Dai took a deep breath. "I drove the wedge as you say it the second I stood up and said I would marry you. You have done nothing, and did nothing to warrant that kind of behavior from him. We are going to a different smaller castle, because I want time to get to know you. You get to know me on a level that we wouldn't be able too with Ma Chao standing over us all the time you know."

Shaking again, Cao Xue just looked into his mesmerizing brown eyes for a moment. She then closed her eyes as she fell into his arms and sobbed. She had never had anyone other than her mother keep their promise to her ever. He was doing what he promised. It didn't matter to him what Ma Chao said or what he did. "I…I….I am…sorry….."

Hugging her with her head under his chin, Ma Dai smiled as he rocked back and forth with her. "It's alright Xue. You lived under the tyrannical rule of Cao Cao as your father for your entire life. And then you got someone who was acting just like him in your face in the one place you started to feel safe at. First thing you need to do is build your confidence. And I am going to help with that."

When all she did was nod as she sobbed in his arms, clinging to him as bad as she did that first night, Ma Dai sighed but had to smile. The anger he felt at what Ma Chao did. The want to keep her away from him and safe. He knew that he had fallen hard now. Was it love? He wasn't sure, but he wasn't going to fight it either.

X

"Ma Dai!" Storming through the halls, Ma Chao was in a full rage at the moment. He went to have a talk with his cousin and insist that he put her in a different room, but neither he nor the girl were there. And now he couldn't find him anywhere! "Ma Dai!"

"Keep your voice down Ma Chao."

Turning to see an angry Liu Bei coming toward him he sighed. "My Lord this is something that I need to speak to my cousin about as a Ma Family matter. I just need to know where he is."

Seeing Guan Yu coming up on the other side of Ma Chao, Liu Bei sighed as he crossed his arms when he reached them. "Ma Dai and his wife are not here Ma Chao. He requested that he can take her and take leave for a while. And after what I heard you did to that poor girl. I granted it."

"Poor girl!?" Ma Chao's eyes went wide. This woman had the wool pulled over everyone's eyes! Everyone's but his that was. "My Lord that girl is the daughter of Cao Cao. Not some poor girl. She has the wool pulled over your eyes, and Ma Dai's. I will not permit him to stay with her and I would never lay claim to a child born between the two."

"This coming from someone who wants nothing but justice for everyone and thinks that everyone deserves a chance?" When Ma Chao turned hard eyes to him, Guan Yu stood tall with his arms crossed. "You are judging this girl based simply on who her father is. Not her story and what it is. You live by honor, yet terrifying a woman is okay?"

"That woman is a snake." Turning back to Liu Bei, he sighed. "Where did he go?"

"I do not know. He asked for leave and I gave it to him. So please stop yelling his name through the halls in the middle of the knight." Liu Bei then took a deep breath as he turned and walked away from Ma Chao. "I just hope that you see the truth about her before everything is ruined for you Ma Chao."

Glaring as Liu Bei walked away, then Guan Yu, Ma Chao stormed back to his room and shut the door. Going to his desk he shook his fist then slammed his fist into it, breaking it in half. "Damn him. He is going to tarnish the Ma Family name if he keeps this up. I have to think about where he would have went and go deal with this once and for all before he does just that."


	8. Chapter 8

"Xue. We are here."

Opening her eyes, Cao Xue looked at the small castle as they stopped before the steps of it. "This is it? It is so small compared to the other one."

Dismounting then helping her down, Ma Dai took her hand and headed up the small set of stairs. "That is why I asked for this one. It is a little castle, so there isn't a bunch of people here that work in it. I figured this would be a perfect setting for us for a while don't you think?"

Nodding as she smiled, Cao Xue looked around as they went through the door. "I do actually. It may be smaller but it is beautiful inside."

Nodding himself as he looked around and headed for the room that was a guest room, but would be theirs while they were there, Ma Dai smiled. "This would be Lady Shang Xiang's doing. She loves to do stuff like this. It's mostly green because of Shu, but there are some hints of red in it. Those come from Wu."

"They go together perfectly." Reaching out and running her hand along a tapestry as they walked through a hall. Turning to Ma Dai, Cao Xue had a curious excitement in her eyes. After the talk she had with Ma Dai the night before, she saw that she was making the choice without first talking with him about it. If she was going to be in a relationship with him, it needed to be them that made the choice. Not one or the other. So she was going to really just take down all walls and let herself fall in love with him. She knew it would be super easy to do it.

When he looked down at her as they stopped in the middle of the hall she blinked. "Do you think that she would show me how to make things like this?"

Smiling as he nodded and opened a door, Ma Dai laughed. "I am sure that she would love too. As much as they have tried, she and Lord Liu Bei never had any other children other than Lord Liu Shan. She would enjoy teaching a girl how to do things like that I think." Going in the room, he let go of her hand as she walked on in. "It's smaller than what we had before, but I don't see that being such a bad thing you know."

Shaking her head, Cao Xue dropped her head with a red face as she smiled. "No it is not."

Closing the door behind him, Ma Dai moved and stood right behind her. "So I have a question then. How about we pick right back up where we were before everything happened?"

Turning to look up at him, Cao Xue blinked. She thought that they talked about that the night before. "But after we talked last night, I thought that was what we were doing anyway?"

"I mean here." Ma Dai then smiled as he reached out and pulled her against him as he dropped his mouth down to hers in a gentle kiss, his other hand framing her face as his eyes closed. The same sensation with this kiss that happened the last time. Now Ma Dai knew that if he could only get her to truly fall in love with him, he found his forever bride.

Tensing at first, as she gasped when he kissed her again, Cao Xue for just an instant thought about stopping it. Flashes of the angry Ma Chao flying through her eyes. But the sensations that his kiss sent rushing through her, she just melted into his arms as she let her eyes flutter shut. There was no way that something that felt so right, could really be that wrong.

X

"I see then. That was a bolt out of the blue." Zhou Yu sighed as he crossed his arms. "How did Ma Chao take it?

With a sigh, Zhuge Liang dropped his head. "I left before he arrived back at the castle. However I can only assume that he is not going to take it well at all. I just hope he does not act rashly."

"Does this change what is going on with Lord Sun Quan and what the plan is to make him see the error of what he is doing?" His eyes hard as he opened them, Zhou Yu had to be blunt. If he needed to rethink things then that would be something he needed to know about ahead of time.

"It does not. Cao Cao is to be made to think that Shu is working with them to take down Wu and capture as many men as possible. Then when the time comes and the signal comes, we turn on Cao Cao and drive him out." Opening his own hard eyes, Zhuge Liang took a deep breath. "The fact that his daughter married into Shu will cause the issue then. He will have to be pursued and dealt with before he can regather his strength at all and invade to 'rescue' the daughter that was clearly abused by him."

"I see. So the only part about the plan is that when we turn, we don't give him time to retreat and rest. We push north and chase him relentlessly. Much like he did Lord Liu Bei before he established Shu." When Zhuge Liang only nodded with a smile, Zhou Yu couldn't help but smile. The land split down the middle, one half Liu Bei rules. The other half, Sun Quan will rule. Working with each other to quell any rebellions and to make sure that everyone, no matter their station in life is content and happy. It was something his Lord needed to do and would benefit everyone. "I think that I can get everyone to agree. In fact, perhaps we should cut off his retreat."

His interest peaked, already thinking of things he could do for that, Zhuge Liang nodded. "Indeed." Standing and going to the table of maps, Zhuge Liang pointed to the location where the fight was going to happen. "We will be advancing this way from here. Wei will most likely fan out and go all down through here."

Moving to stand on the otherside of the table, Zhou Yu looked as he quickly went through the different things that they could do. "Then perhaps Wu should have a fleet here in waiting. This time of year, the wind will blow in our favor here and bring them around with ballistae."

"That would work. And we can set up catapults through here, and use them to not only attack Wei as the ones on the ground flee, but there is a mountain here, that can block their pass through." Zhuge Liang moved his finger to the only other opening as he tapped it. "Here, both Shu and Wu should station some men to fully cut him off. He will be forced to fight then."

Going over what he said, Zhou Yu nodded. "That would work in our favor for sure. Indeed." Looking up at him he sighed as he then moved and went to look out the window of the tent. "I have also figured out who it is that keeps poisoning Lord Sun Quan's view on Shu and why he is attacking."

"Oh?" Zhuge Liang just looked at him. If he knew who it was, that would help him in what he is going to do under the radar. He had his own view of things that he needed to do.

"Lu Meng. He was a great student when he came to Wu. However he has a warped idea that only Wu can rule the land, where no one else seems to think that." His eyes narrowing, Zhou Yu took a deep breath. "It was Lu Xun and Zhu Ran that told me this. So he is who we will take before Sun Quan and make him say what it is that he is doing."

"Agreed." Zhuge Liang then stood and gave a bow as he closed his eyes with a s mile. "For now Master Zhou Yu, I will take my leave. It would not do our plan very good if we were to be seen together like this."

"No it would not." Zhou Yu turned and nodded as he watched Zhuge Liang walking toward his horse and then racing from the camp. He knew that he was up to something, he doesn't put this much effort into something like this if there wasn't something that he wanted. 'But what is the issue? And Lord Sun Jian and Lord Sun Ce are counting on this working to make Lord Sun Quan see reason. So I can't even do anything.'


	9. Chapter 9

Opening her eyes, Cao Xue smiled as she yawned. The feel of the body up against hers, and the way he just held her last night flooded through her. When she finally let all reservations go because of Ma Chao, she was finally comfortable with him. She knew that with little effort he could make her fall madly in love with him. If not already. Rolling in his arms she smiled when he groaned and opened one eye. "I told you before. When the sun rises I can't help it. I have to be up."

Closing his eye and refusing to move, Ma Dai let out a small growl. "Early yes. Soon as the sun comes up is something we will have to get you to stop doing over time. Sleep is amazing."

With a smile as she sighed, Cao Xue just kept looking at him until he finally cracked open an eye and then she arched her eyebrows, she couldn't help but giggle as he rolled his eyes and sat up. Sitting up with him she used her hands to run through her hair. "I will try to sleep past the sun. But that was something I was always used to." Her eyes taking on a look of pain as she dropped her head, she let them half close. "That comes from Cao Cao as well. He would be at my cell door just after dawn a lot of times. Sometimes it was to beat me. Sometimes it was just to yell and wake me up so he could yell at me. So my body trained itself that I had to be up when the sun rose so I could at least be ready for it when it happened."

Moving over behind her, Ma Dai wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her against him. "Which is something you never need to worry about ever again either. I will never do that to you Xue."

"I know. But it is hard to undo years of habit in just a few days as well." Watching as he moved away from her to stand and stretch, she dropped her head as she blushed. She forgot that while she wore her clothes fully, he took his shirt off at night. He hadn't that first night, so their first night here in this castle she didn't know what to think about it at all.

"It's alright Xue you can look up again." Smiling as he tied his shirt together, Ma Dai kept his eyes on her. He thought it was cute how she would blush at him like that. He then leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I am going to go and have someone bring us some food so you can get changed."

"Thank you." Cao Xue just watched him with a soft smile as he left. Once he was gone she stood and moved to relieve herself, then pulled out the outfit that she put together for herself. Once she was dressed she went to a mirror that he brought in for her and was looking at her hair. Her entire life, she had to leave it free and growing like this. She liked it long, her mother loved her long thick hair. But she wanted to do something with it.

Reaching around and pulling it all over her right shoulder, she quickly hand all the tangles from the night gone, and then braided it one long braid and then let it fall back down her back. Standing she turned and smiled to see the shimmery black braid going down her back. 'Mama I can finally actually do something with my hair. I wonder what else I could do?'

"The braid suits you." Laughing when she gasped and blushed as she dropped her head, Ma Dai went to her and smiled as he made her look up at him. He knew that first night there in the castle that he loved her. And that if he had to watch her walk away cause she didn't he would be devastated. But he was hopeful with the way that she looked at him. Cupping her face he dipped his head and covered her mouth with his in a soft and sweet kiss. His hold on her tightening when she went limp in his arms. A moment later he pulled his mouth from hers and winked at her making her face turn even darker red. "I do like the braid."

Her hands resting on his chest, Cao Xue tried to turn her eyes away from his but they went right back as she smiled with a red face. "Thank you. I was never allowed to do anything with it growing up. Cao Cao forbade it. I always wanted to try a braid. I am glad that you like it."

"It's perfect for you." Taking her hand and leading her toward the door he sighed as he shook his head. "Let's go and get some food, then I have an idea that you might like, and I know it will help build up your confidence."

Blinking as she looked up at him Cao Xue walked next to him. "What is that?"

"Self-defense training." Laughing when she gave him a shocked look, Ma Dai nodded as they rounded the corner to go to the dining hall. "That's right. I am not saying you need to learn to fight so you can be on the front lines for anything at all. But I will be out there some, especially against Cao Cao and others that want to rebel against the way things are. That, if we stay together would leave you at home. I want you to be able to defend yourself no matter what happens."

"I see. I can understand that then." Though she hated the idea, Cao Xue wouldn't fight it. She really did need to learn that when she thought about it. She knew the plan was to kill Cao Cao and Cao Pi. But just in case they did escape and decided to come after her, she wanted to be able to protect herself then. But she couldn't help herself. Looking up at him with wide and almost begging eyes, Cao Xue brought his soft brown eyes to her blue. "Who is going to teach it to me?"

Laughing as he kissed her nose, Ma Dai winked at her as he opened the dining hall door. "I had every intention of doing it myself. We are just going to start out with you holding a bunch of different weapons and see what one you can carry with you, and are comfortable with. Then we will start actually using it."

"Okay." Smiling as she nodded, she felt better knowing that he was going to be the one to train her. She felt save with him and she loved it. But when the smell of food hit her nose, Cao Xue flinched and dropped her head as a hand covered her belly. "Oh man."

"Come on let's eat." Ma Dai lead her to the table and sat down with her. As they started to eat, he couldn't help but look at her with a smile. He wasn't going to beat around the bush with her on how he felt and wait and see what she did. If she was feeling the same, she may not say it if he didn't say it, for fear that he wouldn't feel the same way. He saw it with many others, and his father said that was a problem at first in their marriage. He was not going to take that chance.

X

His eyes glaring as he stood at his post looking out over the land from the Eastern gate, Ma Chao was angry. No one would tell him where Ma Dai went! He should have just walked in and took her head and not even tried to tell her what was going to happen. His hand tightened on his spear as he glared harder. "I am sure right now she is deceiving him and trying to get pregnant. Why can no one see that anyone born from Cao Cao is someone who cannot be trusted?!"

"Because she can be Ma Chao." When his hard eyes flicked to him, Jiang Wei didn't budge and kept his even stare as he came to relieve Ma Chao from his shift. "There is such a thing of not taking after one parent and taking after the other. If you have an open mind when you speak with her you would know that. I would say that she takes more after her mother than Cao Cao." Stopping next to the still glaring Ma Chao, he sighed as he closed his eyes. "I don't understand how you can speak of justice and label someone you have not taken the time to get to know. I am here to take the next shift."

"Whatever. I need not talk to that woman. She is the product of Cao Cao's loins and I will associate with anyone of the kind. Ever." Ma Chao then turned and stormed off toward the castle. He hated this whole thing. Giving her a chance was never something that he was ever going to do. Ever.

"Ignore him Jiang Wei." Looking to the side to see Guan Yu walking toward him, Jiang Wei sighed as he looked down with half closed eyes. "I just don't understand why he is like this with her."

"None of us do." Stopping and putting his hand on his shoulder, Guan Yu gave him a nod as his eyes looked up at him. "Give it time. She will do something that will prove to Ma Chao that she is not the person that he thinks she is. But we have to wait for that time. And hope that Ma Dai can get her confidence up enough to withstand him by the time they return."

Nodding Jiang Wei took a deep breath as he watched him head for Ma Chao before turning his attention to his duties. "I hope that it is fast. If Cao Cao moves to force the fight before that I don't know what will happen."

X

"My Lord you wished to see me?"

Giving Sima Yi a glare, Cao Cao nodded. "You have people stationed as spies in different places around Shu do you not?" When he nodded, Cao Cao narrowed his eyes. "What are they reporting back?"

"I have got nothing about what the movements are just yet. We were only there three days ago, and that was when they were stationed My Lord." Looking him in the eye Sima Yi smiled. "I will need at least another week to get any reports on movements or what is going on."

With a sigh as he slumped back in the chair, Cao Cao nodded. "Fine. You have seven more days before I send someone to go and have council with Liu Bei and find out when exactly we are going to attack Sun Quan."

His face turning serious, Sima Yi gave him an odd look. "About that My Lord. How do we know that this is not just a façade on Shu's part? He has Zhuge Liang, and took Jiang Wei from me. The two of them together are nothing to scoff at. Have you considered for a moment that this may just be just a ploy to lure us into a trap with Wu?"

Stepping out from where he stood to the side, Guo Jia shook his head with a smile. "That may be so. But they will stick with it until Liu Bei, Sun Quan, Sun Ce, Sun Jian and all the big generals are in one place. Once that happens, we don't know what is going to happen. But there has been friction between Sun Quan and Liu Bei. This is simply a way to exploit it."

Blinking as he gave the young strategist an odd look, Sima Yi then crossed his arms. "So you have taken into consideration that Liu Bei's wife is Sun Quan's little sister? You have also taken into consideration that while she says that it needs to be done, that the thought of killing her brother would actually bother her the way she was raised?" Shifting his feet as Guo Jia glanced down at the ground. "Or perhaps that the friction is something that they are faking as well to draw us into this situation?"

With a half-smile, Guo Jia looked up at Sima Yi and laughed. "I had not thought about the friction being fake but we did consider the rest of it. And that is one of two reasons why Lord Cao Cao had his daughter wed to someone in Shu. For turning their backs on him and attacking him, he wages war to take them out and come to the rescue her."

Having heard what the two were fighting about, Cao Cao sighed as he smacked his chair. "Enough! This is what we are doing. Sima Yi if you fear all of those things, use some men and plan in advance for it. But the plan goes on as laid out regardless."


	10. Chapter 10

A full week has passed, and with each passing day, Cao Xue was falling more and more in love with Ma Dai. To the point, she knew she couldn't live without him. He was nothing but sweet to her, and treated her like they were going to be together forever already. He was such an honest guy that she didn't see that changing.

With a smile as she ran her fingers through her hair as she let her braid out, she closed her eyes. Even remembering how terrified she was of Ma Chao couldn't make her turn away from him now. She did hope that with them being actual blood cousins that would help them to mend it. And that in time she could show him that she wasn't who she thought that he was. That it didn't matter who her father was, she was nothing like him.

"Hello there. You going to answer me?"

Blinking as she shook her head and looked in the mirror to see Ma Dai standing behind her with his hands on his hips she laughed. "I am sorry. I didn't even hear you come in."

Reaching out with a sigh, Ma Dai finished freeing her hair as he smiled. "I figured that one. What were you so deep in thought about anyway? You have gotten like that the last couple of days."

Taking a deep sigh Cao Xue let her eyes flutter closed as he kept running his hands through her hair. She loved that feeling. "Just about how drastically life has changed for me in the last couple of weeks. I went from being beat and yelled at daily. To having a very abusive crash course from Zhen Ji on how to be a 'lady' as she said. Then I am married." Feeling him stop his hands, she stood as she took another nervous breath. Keeping her head down, she folded her hands before her. "And it has been almost everything that has happened since the day that we married that I have actually felt like someone cared."

Taking a step closer to her, Ma Dai reached out and made her look up at him. His heart going out to her when he saw her beautiful eyes full of tears. "I told you too that day. Do not treat me like I am someone you have to be proper with. I am your husband at the moment. Not your tyrant. You never have to look down when you are talking to me Xue."

With a smile as she took another deep breath, Cao Xue kept her eyes in his. "All of that leads me to something I want to tell you Ma Dai." Wringing her hands, she sighed as she turned her head from him and took a few steps away from him. "Just, I ask that you let me say this in a way that I can. Please?"

Feeling his heart race, Ma Dai thought for sure the way she was acting was that she was going to tell him that she didn't want to stay with him. Once they got to this castle, he knew instantly that he was in love with her. He wanted her to want to stay with him and has tried his best to get her to fall in love with the way that he was going to be as her husband. "Okay. What is it?"

Taking fast and deep breaths, Cao Xue closed her eyes as she dropped her head. "When everything is done. And Cao Cao's alliance is done. You told me that if we don't want to stay together then, that you would let me go, but not make me go back to him right?"

His eyes half closing, no convinced that is exactly what she was going to do, Mai Dai visibly flinched as he nodded with a sigh and rubbed his neck. "Yes and I still stand by that."

A few more breaths, and Cao Xue hugged herself. She was terrified to tell him this now that the time has come. But she also knew that he wasn't going to let this go if she decided not to tell him after all. "But if I wanted to stay. If I wanted to keep being your wife. Would you really be alright with that?"

His eyes going wide, Ma Dai just looked at her. Was he reading this whole situation wrong? Had she actually fallen in love with him over the last week? Moving to stand behind her, Ma Dai wrapped his arms around her arms over her stomach making her flinch. "I would be more than alright with that Xue. And not because of the alliance."

"Then what would the reason be?" She knew she had tears streaming out of her eyes, but at the same time, Cao Xue felt safe and secure now that he had his arms around her. Like she could do anything.

Turning her in his arms, keeping her closer with his arm around her waist, Ma Dai reached up and cupped her face, but didn't make her look up at him as he let out a sigh with a warm smile. "Because I can say that I love you and mean it. I wasn't going to tell you until you told me how you felt. But if you want to stay, that would make me the happiest man in the world. If you want to go, I will smile with a broken heart and let you go to be happy. What is this coming up for again?"

One hand on his chest, one hand now over her mouth, Cao Xue as shaking like crazy. He did love her. Fisting her hand in his clothes, she chocked back a sob as she leaned her head into his chest. "I want to stay with you."

Taking a deep breath as he tilted her head up to look at him, Ma Dai had a serious face. "If it is because you know I love you tell me. Otherwise, tell me how you feel about me Xue."

Both hands now fisted in his clothes, Cao Xue let the tears gush from her eyes as she looked into his heavenly brown ones. "I love you Ma Dai. The last week, letting all walls down finally. It didn't take long for my heart to belong to you." She then gasped as he dipped his head and seared his mouth with hers. His lips holding an urgency that she had not felt up to this point. But the power behind this kiss was making her dizzy. And she had to assume it was because they had both said that they love each other at the same time before it.

When he finally pulled his lips from hers, she could feel the blush rise in her cheeks as she opened dazed eyes to see the same haze over his own. "Ma Dai that….."

Touching her lips with his finger as he swallowed hard and took a deep breath, Ma Dai shook his head. "I just want to hear you say it again. Just one time. Tell me how you feela bout me Xue."

Smiling as she started to drop her head but let her eyes flutter open when he wouldn't let her and found his eyes still on hers, she took a few deep breaths. "I love you Ma Dai." Then she gasped before melting into his arms when he moved in and once again seared her mouth with his own. Her hands holding his clothes over his chest with a death grip, fearing if she let go she might fade away.

When he felt her start to shake, Ma Dai took a deep breath and slowly pulled his lips back from hers. "I am sorry. We will work our way up to doing that if you….." But then he gasped as she tip toed and kissed him. After a second he pushed her away from him slightly and took a deep breath. "Xue are you sure? I don't want you to think you have to rush into that because you told me you loved me."

Nodding her head as she shook and blushed, Cao Xue dropped her head but then looked back up at him before he could make her do it. "I am sure Ma Dai. I can't say that I won't be scared. I can't say that I won't shake the whole time. But it would be like that right now in this moment. Or ten years from now because it is my first time." Stepping closer to him as he dropped his hands and rested them on her hips, she took a timid breath as she forced her eyes to stay on his. "I know with you, everything will be fine."

Jerking her fully against him, Ma Dai smiled into her eyes as he dropped his forehead down to rest on hers. "I can't promise there will be no pain. But I can promise that it won't last for long. I can promise that by the time we are through, you are going to fly into the heavens with me."

With a giggle as she twined her arms around his neck, Cao Xue let out a sigh. "I cannot wait."

Searing her mouth again, Ma Dai effortlessly lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed, following her down on it without breaking the kiss. He knew that she was going to hurt some. But he would do all he knew how to do to make sure that it didn't last long for her at all. She would enjoy this as much as he was going to.


End file.
